3160 PNG-SI Schools Assembly
austraLasia #3160
 


First ever PNG-SI  Don Bosco Schools Assembly

PORT MORESBY: 16 November 2012 --  The Youth Ministry Commission, PNG-SI Delegation, headed by Fr. Peter Baquero, organised the first ever PNG-SI Don Bosco Schools Assembly from 12-16 November at Emmaus Conference Centre in East Boroko, Port Moresby. 20 representatives (Salesians and lay mission partners) came from the different Salesian Institutions in the Delegation.

Currently, there is only one tertiary institution in the Delegation, the Don Bosco Technological Institute in Port Moresby. It is a Teachers College for Technical Instructors. There are two so called "permitted" schools: Don Bosco Technical School in Gabutu and VunaBosco Agro-technical Secondary School in East New Britain Province. The rest are so called "agency" schools: (in Papua New Guinea) Don Bosco Araimiri Secondary School in the Gulf Province, Don Bosco Institute of Technology in Kumgi, (in Solomon Islands) Don Bosco Technical School in Honiara, and Don Bosco Rural Training Centre in Tetere.

This Assembly is the first attempt of the Delegation to streamline our different institutions as part of its Institutional Self Analysis. The following speakers gave talks on very relevant topics: Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, SDB, DD, Archbishop of Rabaul who is also the Bishop deputed by the PNG-SI Catholic Bishops Conference's Commission on Education, Mr. Samson Wangihomie of the Teaching Service Commission of PNG, Dr. Eliakim Apelis of the Curriculum Development and Assessment Division of the Department of Education, and Mr. Raj Patnaik of New Vision.

Aside from the talks, what made this Assembly truly enriching were the discussions and sharing done either in small working groups or in plenum. It is hoped that this Assembly will spur everybody in the Delegation to continue making Don Bosco's spirit alive in Melanesia. This Assembly is also intended as part of the preparation for the celebration of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth. This is our Delegation's gift to Don Bosco, to the Church and to the Congregation, but above all to the young in this part of the world
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